take your songwriting to the next level
TAKE a FREE songwriting course at
http://www.SongU.com/ifs
PITCH your songs
Get professional critiques and mentoring
Network with talented songwriters

~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
If you want to RECEIVE IFS or CHANGE YOUR ADDRESS with IFS
SEND an EMPTY email to
difs-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Dear IFS readers,

I hope this email finds you well.
What's new with you? I really love hearing from IFS readers and
sometimes I share what readers write.

Didn't I send an IFS issue in the middle of October, it appears it
was deleted. If you still have it could you send it to me so I can
archive it.

Thanks

Lots is going on
a new demo arrived, it's called "Ain't It Sweet"
I cowrote it with Mary Bahan and Bill Ekhoff.
vocals by Todd Sansom (Colin Raye's band leader and keyboard player)
produced by: Galen Breen
you can hear it at:
http://www.songramp.com/mod/mps/viewtrack.php?trackid=50364


Monday November 13, I'm attending the
Texas Chapter presents The Recording Academy Honors Event
We're celebrating
ZZ Top introduced by Billy Bob Thornton
Yolonda Adams introduced by Jimmy Jam
The founders of South by Southwest

The event will celebrate
Yolanda Adams; introduced by Jimmy Jam
SWISHAHOUSE;
SXSW Music Festival Co-Founders Louis Black, Nick Barbaro, and Roland
Swenson; and
ZZ Top. introduced by Billy Bob Thornton

you can still get tickets for info drop by:
http://www.grammy.com/Recording_Academy/Chapters/Texas/

~ ~ ~

I was in Austin today and dropped by Waterloo Records where I bought
the following CDs

1) Unsung by Slaid Cleaves
The CD it says "Unsung finds him paying tribute to some lesser known
songwriters, friends and peers, by delivering their songs with the
same eloquence that makes his own work so engaging. As with his own
songs these songs explore the fine line between ruin and grace
desolation and renewal, with a poetic sense of longing and
unflinching honesty."
Plus the CD includes the song Everette, written by my friend and
cowriter Steve Brooks.

2) Sugarcane + Autumn
Autumn and I have been emailing for a couple years. She's really
grown as an songwriter and singer.
http://cdbaby.com/cd/autumnsongs/from/ande

3) Why the Hell Not The Songs of Kinky Friedman
featuring an assortment of artists performing Kinky's songs
Keving Fowler, Lyle Lovett, Charlie Robison, Dwight Yoakum, Jason
Boland, Todd Snider, Bruce Robision and Kelly Willis, Willie Nelson,
Asleep at the Wheel, and Delbert McClinton

4) Viva Teringua! Nuevo! Songs of Luckenback Texas
because there was a John Arthur Martinez song on it

5) Eleven Stories + Bruce Robision
cause he's such and excellent writer

6) Living with Ghosts + Patty Griffin
cause she's amazing

~ ~ ~

Alice Olsen emailed me this bit of news

I thought it might interest you to know that our song, Make Me An
Instrument Of Your Peace was rated #5 on this new Christian internet
station. Now I know that is #5 out of not a whole lot of others but
it's one more thing to add to the hype. You might want to check out
the station and when our song comes up, you can rate it thumbs up to
improve the odds. It would be fun to have it go to #1. Here's the URL
http://www.live365.com/stations/christianoriginals

~ ~ ~

Earlier this week I received a CD with my most recent cut.
Here's the email announcment about it:


This is to announce the official release of the debut album by rising
star Katelyn Hobson entitled "Get Lost With You". If you've wondered
what I've been doing over the last two years in between all the
hospitals and rehab centers, this was it.

This record features yours truly as producer, engineer, songwriter and
geetar picker. I even cleaned up after the sessions. It's been a long
time coming but I think it turned out quite nicely, if I do say so
myself.

The album is currently available via Ms. Hobson's web site at this
address; http://www.katelynhobson.homestead.com/discography.html and
only in the popular CD format. We're hoping to have it other places
soon
but for now that's it.

So log on and order one, or two, or three. And tell all your friends
to
get one. Hey, then you can all get together, have a big listening
party
and talk about how great it is! Yee Haw! They also make wonderful
gifts.

Shamelessly Promotingly yours,
Billy White, Jr.
http://www.myspace.com/billywhitejr

~ ~ ~

I attended a Grammy U event last Friday
There I met Randy Miller who's a partenr in Bravado Records
He manages Bowling for Soup and Blue October
plus he's also involved with the publishing company that recently
bought Kirk Cobain's song catalog, he said in the past there was few
licensing incidents of nirvana songs but that's now changed, in fact
there's a upcoming CSI episode coming up with only nirvana songs. He
said it's kind of an announcement that the nirvana catalog is now
open for business

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~ ~ ~ ~ ~

got this note from Jace Carlton

Second, and this one is a biggie ... you may have noticed that you
haven't been receiving my daily Change Your Stars! messages for over
three weeks. Well, the sad story is my hard drive crashed without
any warning and with the exception of the pages for my three websites
(which are saved on my website host's server) I've lost EVERYTHING!
I had a professional technician try to retrieve my data, and at first
it looked like he was going to be able to do it, but part way through
the retrieval process the drive crashed on him, too. He spent over
two hours trying different techniques to try and get the drive to
recover, but no luck. One of the most critical things I lost was my
email address list - 1000's and 1000's of addresses from people
around the world who subscribe to my Change Your Stars! and The Quest
messages, and that included 100's of songwriters who've signed up
over the last few years because of your recommendations on IFS.
Would it be asking too much of you to mention to your subscribers
that if they've been receiving my email messages to please re-
subscribe through my website? They can follow this link -
http://www.changeyourstars.com/Subscribe.html - and that will take
care of it.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Texas grammy Sound Check in Austin

~~GRAMMY Soundcheck: The Fray~~
Tuesday, November 7th
Time TBA (afternoon)
Stubbs BBQ

GRAMMY U continues its groundbreaking GRAMMY U Soundcheck series with
pop/rock band The Fray. GRAMMY U members will go behind the scenes to
watch the band prepare for their live performance and The Fray will
conduct a Q&A session with the members.
GRAMMY Soundcheck: The Fray
Tuesday, November 7th
Time TBA (afternoon)
Stubbs BBQ

~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~

got a note from Steven McClintock of Fertitta and McClintock

Hi Ande,

I hope things are going well for you. I so enjoyed our brief minutes
together and the breakfast tacos were fantastic. We had a great trip
to California via Texas....great fun.

I just wanted to let you know that Fertitta and McClintock are
playing a CD RELEASE PARTY in Beaumont Texas on November 18th at the
LOGON CAFE around 9pm.

We are expecting a sell out ...or so I hope. We are also doing a
House Concert at Lucky Run Studios in Houston on the 19th...more
details to follow on that.

If you are around those two places...come on it and be my guest. IF
you know anyone interested they can contact me at fertandmcc@...

Looking forward to my next trip to Austin...

Yours,
Steven

37 RECORDS

36-61st Place
Long Beach, CA 90803
fax 586 314 5359
info37records@...

http://www.37records.com/

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~ ~ ~ ~ ~


I'm looking for a HIT song for an amazing male country artist who is
close to getting singed. Here's what his manager wrote me:

"We feel we need one more song for a pitch and are looking for a
particular type of song - we don't have that music industry 'respect'
song yet -
we don't have the
"I Believe";
"God Bless the Broken Road" type song.

Let me know if you know of any."

So jpf friends if you know of any amazing songs for an awesome male
country artist
please send me an email with

the song title
writers names and
a link to where I can hear it

only one title and one link per email

please don't send me
an email that says
here's where you can find my catalog
please browse through it,

you may submit up to 3 songs

send you email to
AndeRasmussen@...
in the subject field write
IFS HIT HUNT
NO MP3's or attachments
Links only

you can post here as well
you don't have to have written the song
you can do a friend a favor

Ande

~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~

As a voting member of the Recording Academy you should be receiving
your nominating ballot for the 49th GRAMMY Awards (within one week
following our mailing date of Wednesday, October 18, 2006).

Please ensure that your ballot reaches the offices of Deloitte &
Touche in Los Angeles by the deadline of Wednesday, November 08,
2006. Final Nominations will be announced at our December 7th
Nominations Press Conference.

If you do not receive your ballot within one week of our mailing
date, please contact the GRAMMY offices via e-mail at
ballot@... or by phone (310) 392-0439.

Thank you again for participating in the 48th GRAMMY Awards process.
Your voice and your vote are key to the success and integrity of our
process.

Neil Portnow, President, and The Academy Awards Department
The Recording Academy

~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Subject: Recording Academy Member Benefit: Discount to North American
Folk Alliance ConferenceThe 2007 International Folk Alliance
Conference launches from its new home in
Memphis, "Home of the Blues and The Birthplace of Rock 'n Roll", and
will host
200+ performing artists, four nights of showcases, four days of
feature
concerts, an exhibit hall, parties, panels, workshops, clinics and
more all
under one roof in downtown Memphis, TN.

A special discounted rate of $275.00 for full conference registration
will be
available until January 5, 2007 for all Recording Academy members.
Simply put
"NARAS" on your registration form or online at
http://www.folkalliance.org/conference/.

Recording Academy discount information and full conference details
can be found
at www.folk.org or by contacting the FA office at (901)522-1170.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~

sign up to be on artist street teams
you can get ideas about what to do with your street team

~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Ever met Malcolm Harper?

Malcolm Harper (TX Chapter President, The Recording Academy)
Reelsound Recording Co.
www.reelsound-usa.com

~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~

john arthur martinez is playing Gruene Hall
Oct. 29, 2006 Gruene, TX, Gruene Hall, 4-8 P.M. with Tejas;
http://www.gruenehall.com/

~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~

T A X I M u s i c B i z R e p o r t s
O c t . 2 3 , 2 0 0 6
shared this info:


HOW DO I IMPROVE MY SONGWRITING?

The best way is to constantly and persistently study what hit
songwriters do.
Learn from the best. Listen to the radio and take notes on what hit
songs have
in common. What is their structure like? Do they end verses on major
or minor
chords? Do they have a bridge? How many bars are in the intro?

The best novelists are people who constantly read, and the same just
might be
true of songwriters. Reading helps develop a writer's sense of
worldliness. The
more things you know about and understand, the more you can write
about. Reading
books about songwriting will also put you at a tremendous advantage.

Become obsessed. Study and write every day. You couldn't be a starting
quarterback in the NFL without spending years in training. The same
is true of
great songwriters. They are rarely, if ever born into this world as
great
songwriters. They become great by learning from the great writers who
came
before them.

Hint: Stay current. Don't write songs that could have been hits when
you were
twenty-one (unless you are twenty-one). Write songs that will appeal
to today's
audience.

Remember that you aren't competing with your friends and peers. To
really be in
the music business and get your songs cut, you need to be competitive
with the
top writers of the day.

COULD WORKING WITH ANOTHER SONGWRITER IMPROVE MY CHANCES OF SUCCESS?

Yes, in at least two ways. Number one: Two heads are often better
than one. You
just might write a better song with a collaborator.

Number two: If you're really lucky, the person you co-write with may
be more
advanced and/or better connected than you are, giving you a leg up on
getting
your songs cut.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~

from SongU

congrats to IFS reader

And speaking of first cuts, a big round of congratulations are in
order for Mitch Townley from TN and Donna Galbraith from CO. Their
song, "Family Tree" caught the ears of Spin N Pitch guest, DeWayne
Spaw who promptly played it for his producer (hit writer, Dave
Gibson) who also loved the song and are cutting it. This is Mitch's
first cut! This is the email we received from the artist DeWayne
this week:

"I just wanted to let you know that we now have our lineup of songs
selected for the new CD project, thanks in part to SongU and Spin N'
Pitch. We will be recording Mitch Townley and Donna Galbraith's,
FAMILY TREE which we found right here through SongU. I also wanted to
let Mitch and Donna know that my producer, Dave Gibson, is very
impressed with the song and that is a huge compliment coming from a
man who has written so many hits himself. Thank you for helping us
find great songs and we will be sure to use SongU for future
projects."
you can hear it at:
http://www.songramp.com/mod/mps/viewtrack.php?trackid=48679
Dave Brooks on vocals

It baffles me why some label hasn't signed Dave Brooks.
He's such a talent.

way to go guys, great song

~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~

a note from Steve Seskin

My new CD is called Two Paper Town. If you'd like a copy, go to my
website at www.steveseskin.com where you can listen and/or order. I
also have a new children's book out called A Chance To Shine and a
Spanish version of the book Don't Laugh At Me.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~

I was poking around on CDBaby and found this

http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/wcs

West Coast Songwriters
Winners Compilation
Song Contest and Open Mic Winners 2000-2004

West Coast Songwriters is excited and proud to present our premier CD
compilation featuring a cross-section of our talented songwriting
community. Included are the winners of our Open Mic events spanning
the 2000 to the present along with the winners of West Coast
Songwriters International Song Contest.

Our Mission Statement says it all: WCS Is an Industry Leader
Dedicated to Providing the Environment, Opportunities, and Tools to
Nurture, Educate and Promote Songwriters, Our first CD is another
opportunity we are proud to bring to our songwriters. Check out
www.westcoastsongwriters.org for info on these and other independent
artists or to join our community of songwriters!

This amazing collection of songs is a true testament to the
songwriters and their dedication to the craft of songwriting,
showcasing the wide range of styles within our organization. Tony
Ferguson (A&R at Interscope, signed No Doubt, etc.) commented that
all A&R Reps should attend the WCS Sunset Concert to freshen their
ears. So, refresh your ears and enjoy!

1. First up, our 2004 Song Contest Winner, Sara Bareilles, now
touring the world opening for Maroon 5. Sara, based in Southern
California, originally hails from Mendocino county.
2. John Lester, Open Mic Winner, currently living in Amsterdam. John
is touring Europe with artist/songwriter, Gretchen Peters after
meeting at our Annual Songwriters Conference.
3. Tom Richardson, Open Mic Winner, plays with his group The
Farallons, blends intelligent songs with exceptional vocals and
genuine craftsmanship on acoustic instruments.
4. Suzie Vinnick, performs our first International Song Contest win
co-written with fellow Canadians, Kristi McGraw and Stuart Lister.
5. Kenon Chen from our Open Mic Playoffs, blends intricate acoustic
rhythmn with a pure voice. Look for his live shows, Kenon is
currently playing to sold-out venues.
6. Michael McNevin, Song Contest Winner (he's also won our Open Mic
Playoffs a couple of times in past years). Michael is a true
troubador and story teller, always on the road sharing his songs
across America.
7. The Kimberly Trip, Song Contest Winners, play their pop/rock song
crafted after taking songwriting classes through WCS. Kimberly and
Jeff now run the Sacramento Open Mic for WCS
8. Eoin Harrington, Open Mic Winner, is making a name for himself in
the San Francisco Bay Area, playing the major music venues and
getting airplay on KFOG. Eoin is blessed with an amazing voice and a
cheeky character. He hails from Ireland.
9. Elya Finn, Open Mic Winner, originally from Russia co wrote her
song with poet Michael Rothenberg. Her songs are unique, interesting
and intelligent.
10. Larry Potts, Open Mic Winner, is winning awards from many song
contests and Open Mics. His band is Americana at its best.
11. LaRhonda Martin, Open Mic Winner, performs with her sisters. Her
original spiritual songs and vocal blend have enamored judges and
audiences alike.
12. Gerry Grosz, Open Mic Winner, and world class musician. Gerry
writes with an ironic comedic twist, keeping bay area audiences
laughing.
13. Courtney C Patty, Open Mic Winner, co-wrote her heartfelt song
that is quickly becoming a wedding standard.
14. Jimmy James Page, multiple Open Mic Winner, blends his incredible
voice with talented songwriting skills. He is an in-demand Bay Area
performer
15. Judy London, Open Mic Winner, haunts us with her wonderful song.
She currently resides in Southern California.



Open Mic Winners first won a monthly Open Mics at one of the six
locations At the end of the season, they competed head to head other
winners at the Playoffs. Those that get through perform their winning
song at the Sunset Concert at the Annual Songwriters Conference for
over 50 industry guests as well all the Conference attendees.

Annual Song Contest Winners, selected by our industry judges, as the
Best Song received. Songs are submitted from all over the United
States and internationally. The Overall Winner receives an awesome
prize such as music equipment totaling over $10,000, plus the
opportunity to perform their winning song at the Sunset Concert.

We are grateful to Derek Sivers and CDBaby.com for their generous
donation of production of this CD and for including this on their
fabulous website.

Thanks to Lou Dorren and Xytar Digital Systems, Richard Stockton and
Shure Microphones for donating our wonderful International Song
Contest prizes

Thanks to Rainer Gembalczyk of Sienna Digital for generating the
graphics, Tami Mulcahy for helping get the project together, to Ned
Hearn for his legal guidance work and providing contracts. Thanks to
all the Open Mic Managers and volunteers and judges, and our
wonderful Song Contest industry judges.

For more information on events, membership and participation in our
events, access our website at www.westcoastsongwriters.org.

Mission/Vision Statement
WCS Is an Industry Leader Dedicated to Providing the Environment,
Opportunities, and Tools to Nurture, Educate and Promote Songwriters

~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Dear Ande,

I belong on the board of a songwriting organization and we feel
pretty certain that one of our board members has been spending
organization funds for their own personal use.

What do you think we should do about this?

Perplexed

~ ~ ~

Dear Perplexed,

I'd first investigate the situation and gather eveidence. Examine
bank statements, get receipts, and explanations. If you feel the
person is innocent drop it, however if you feel they have been
stealing organization funds. Present the info at a board meeting. I
spoke with one friend who is a CPA and another who is an attorney,
both said, if the allegations are true, the board member has breached
their fiduciary responsibility and should be terminated. If board
members know this and take no action at some point they could become
liable.

I'll ask IFS readers how they feel about this situation, I'm sure
folks have opinions on the topic.

ande

IFS readers please email me if you do

~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~

are you going to the JP Folks Music Awards Event?
http://www.jpfolks.com/MusicAwards/2006/Reservation.html

~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~

singer searching for songs

Krysta Scoggins is looking for songs

Krysta Scoggins is looking for songs ...

Krysta is aggressively looking for Traditional New Country songs in
all tempos to add to her second CD. She loves songs with a little
edgy touch to them similar to Miranda Lambert but yet has a
Traditional flavor to them. She enjoys strong meaningful lyrics.

She plans to record in the earlier part of 2007 with pre-production
in December so we have a deadline of November 30th for any song
submissions.

If you would like to submit any songs have them:

e-mail using mp3's:
krysta@...

If you use song links that would be great just let us know the link.

Snail Mail:
Krysta Scoggins
Infinity Music Canada Inc.
10437-32A Avenue
Edmonton, AB, Canada T6J 4A7

~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~



Write On,
Ande Rasmussen

Does anyone ever read IFS to the VERY END?